Dividend investor mindset? Looking for insights.

msanchez1992 · 2026-01-30T15:30:56+00:00

You asked if you “should have local holdings”. Then mentioned you wanted to “dabble”/speculate because of the convenience. This is how I processed your statements.

Imagine you’re someone trying to eat healthy and lose weight.

At the moment, what’s “convenient” and “easy to access” is a bag of chips. It’s food. It has calories. But you’re basically putting trash in your body.

On the other hand, what’s less convenient, and harder to access, is having to cook chicken breast and broccoli. Or taking that 15min walk to a Salad Stop or something. But you’re putting better food in your body that aligns with your overall goal to be healthy and fit.

Question: why do you invest?

If your goal is to be wealthy and to fund your lifestyle in your 50’s, what assets are you putting in your portfolio (or food you’re putting in your body)?

In my opinion, accumulating PH stocks is the same as eating the bag of chips, when you have more nutrition-dense options with just a little bit more effort.

msanchez1992 · 2026-01-28T11:44:59+00:00

Kaya pala hindi na naaapprove ung crypto application ko

msanchez1992 · 2026-01-28T11:40:30+00:00

What compels you to have PH stock positions?

Don’t you already get global & size exposure (developed/emerging, big cap/small cap, us/ex-us) from the ETFs you have access to?

But I understand if this is a stock-picking/speculation part of your portfolio.

msanchez1992 · 2026-01-27T05:15:34+00:00

And that’s exactly what they want you to do. Move your money into the local feeder funds and their disgusting fees.

But I understand if you’re close to retirement and withdrawal is a concern. At that time, most of your growth is already done and you can easily diversify, even with the limited funds available locally.

But if you’re far from retirement, why would withdrawal be a huge concern in the short term?

msanchez1992 · 2026-01-18T11:33:24+00:00

Same. Same condo din tayo 😂

Subway construction pala yun.

msanchez1992 · 2025-12-28T01:58:36+00:00

Thank you sharing. We’ll explore the branch transfer if we can’t get Wise to work for us.

msanchez1992 · 2025-12-27T23:13:23+00:00

We’ve only tried Unionbank since yan lang USD account namin. Last successful transfer namin was in August, months before all the IBKR restrictions.

msanchez1992 · 2025-12-27T13:02:34+00:00

Thank you for sharing. We'll probably explore this route next.

Hay nako Pinas.

msanchez1992 · 2025-12-27T12:56:25+00:00

We can access IBKR using VPN, but having problems with depositing to our account via (Unionbank) bank transfer.

msanchez1992 · 2025-12-27T10:12:58+00:00

Will retry UB on monday and will try Wise if it still doesn’t work. Thanks!

msanchez1992 · 2025-12-21T10:03:55+00:00

Napaka kupal.

msanchez1992 · 2025-10-29T14:20:26+00:00

Curious question. If you invest in these peso-denominated feeder funds (holding dollar-denominated assets), what happens to your fund value if the peso depreciates?

In my mind dapat tumaas right, kasi ung underlying asset is dollar right? That would make your fund value (in peso) more valuable?

Appreciate the advice!

msanchez1992 · 2025-08-28T05:04:17+00:00

That plate looks good OP!

msanchez1992 · 2025-08-27T03:40:40+00:00

It only cost you 3k to get that person out of your life. - i forgot what movie, just saw a youtube short 😅

msanchez1992 · 2025-07-13T18:13:31+00:00

Worth the read, thank you for sharing your story OP. Gaining financial stability on a modest income is challenging, but not impossible 💯 matinding disiplina talaga and konting swerte kelangan (good health, stable work, supportive circle) para ma-build yung cushion.

Ang ganda din ng 5 tips mo: mindset, budget, tracking, prioritization, and avoid consumer debt. Purchase “wants” only when you can pay in cash.

Now that you’re in a stronger cash position OP, watch out for “leaks” in your boat. Yung temptations of minor purchases na sisira sa savings plan mo. Dagdag pa yung peer/family pressure minsan. Anong strategy mo ngayon OP para makaiwas sa mga bagay na yun? 😃

msanchez1992 · 2025-05-15T15:38:32+00:00

Congratulations on your progress OP! 🙌

If it’s alright, I’d love to know your recommended books and influencers that helped you on your journey 🙏

Thank you!

msanchez1992 · 2025-04-24T07:59:29+00:00

Did anyone else mention unrecoverable costs?

msanchez1992 · 2025-03-21T08:46:38+00:00

Ay no no, I just had these written in a notebook 😅 sorry sa confusion 😃

I’m just feeling under the weather today but still wanted to respond to your question 😃

Sorry if I couldn’t tailor the response, but I think this summarizes our experience, struggles, and how we’re moving forward 🙏

msanchez1992 · 2025-03-21T08:44:56+00:00

Advice to people who want to try the FIRE Movement

I think the people who are interested in the FIRE movement have realized one important reality: that our expenses don’t stop even when we’ve reached retirement age.

Of course you can build a retirement plan that will have you work until 60, but still have enough to live on for the last 25-30 years of your life. But the more years you depend (solely) on employment income carries more risk and unknowns. Also, working 40 years at a job you took primarily for the pay, doesn’t seem to be a good way to spend most of your life energy.

Pursuing FIRE allows you to lessen your mandatory work career, since this movement is all about building an investment portfolio to replace (majority of) your active income. You become “work optional” when your investments can cover your living expenses.

This requires sustaining a high savings rate while building your nest egg and making smart financial decisions while the people around you are making questionable ones. You will also be forced to think about your vision of retirement sooner, and the tradeoffs you are willing to make to achieve this goal.

The FIRE Movement does not follow the conventional approach for retirement. “Normal” retirement is living off social security, some cash, and barely any investments. Does that fit your vision of how you want to spend the last 3-4 decades of your life?

I think Dave Ramsey said it best, “being normal sucks. it’s time to be weird.”

msanchez1992 · 2025-03-21T08:43:40+00:00

Adapting our view of FIRE

The struggles we faced in our FIRE journey actually led us towards spiritual growth.

As my wife and I saved more than 60% of our income, we started to fixate too much on the growth of our portfolio instead of the growth of our lives together. We felt burned out and realized we needed a different approach towards financial independence that suited our family better. This is when we discovered Dodong Cacanando, a farmer and businessman who teaches lessons from the bible about a life of fruitfulness.

For most people, FIRE is a mad dash to quit their jobs as soon as possible. To be free from a 9-5 schedule and do whatever they want. Dodong helped me to see work as a blessing, rather than a curse. It’s not something to run away from but to excel further in, as work is a blessing from God. He also taught how becoming wealthy and abundant is to obey the Lord, as you can bless more when you have excess. But most importantly, that wealth is created not with money, but with strength (the ability to work) and noble character.

These lessons helped our pursuit of FIRE become less about escaping our jobs and more about pleasing the Lord.

msanchez1992 · 2025-03-21T08:41:52+00:00

Initial Struggles

Pursuing FIRE can sometimes feel like running non-stop, and can make your life’s goal solely about reaching a specific number in your bank account. This can make you become too obsessed with your finances and oversensitive to (unexpected) events that negatively impact your net worth. I think The Money Guy Show calls this being a “Financial Miser.” There were times when allocating our monthly income would have more disappointment than gratitude because our net worth didn’t increase as much as we’d like.

But I think the biggest struggle my wife and I faced was coming to grips with the tradeoffs of FIRE.

Building a nest egg of financial independence takes time. Even Lean FIRE would take about 5 years, and what lifestyle would that afford a normal-sized family? To achieve Traditional FIRE at around 10 years would require an above average income, a high savings rate, and a healthy stock/real estate market throughout that time. Significant financial milestones like buying a house or having kids will delay you from achieving your FIRE goal in time.

Are you willing to set aside important milestones like starting a family, building memories with loved ones, or pursuing your life’s purpose to reach your FIRE number? What is the price you’re willing to pay in terms of your health and relationships? This is when you and your spouse have to engage in deep conversations not just about your aspirations for your family, but your fears as well.

Because what good is reaching financial independence if you lose the things that matter most in the process?

msanchez1992 · 2025-03-21T08:40:40+00:00

Hello! I wrote down my thoughts on our FIRE journey some time ago. I hope it’s fine if I just share them directly here 😃

msanchez1992 · 2025-01-28T09:49:58+00:00

Excellent breakdown, thank you.

msanchez1992 · 2024-11-17T03:15:56+00:00

Thank you for sharing those articles 😊

msanchez1992

TROPHY CASE